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Library » Bhagavad-gītā As It Is » Chapter Seventeen

Bg. 17.17

Devanagari

श्रद्धया परया तप्‍तं तपस्तत्‍त्रिविधं नरै: ।
अफलाकाङ्‌‍क्षिभिर्युक्तै: सात्त्विकं परिचक्षते ॥ १७ ॥

Text

śraddhayā parayā taptaṁ
tapas tat tri-vidhaṁ naraiḥ
aphalākāṅkṣibhir yuktaiḥ
sāttvikaṁ paricakṣate

Synonyms

śraddhayā — with faith; parayā — transcendental; taptam — executed; tapaḥ — austerity; tat — that; tri-vidham — of three kinds; naraiḥ — by men; aphala-ākāṅkṣibhiḥ — who are without desires for fruits; yuktaiḥ — engaged; sāttvikam — in the mode of goodness; paricakṣate — is called.

Translation

This threefold austerity, performed with transcendental faith by men not expecting material benefits but engaged only for the sake of the Supreme, is called austerity in goodness.